Petition to the Strafford School Board Regarding Proposed

 Modified School Calendar

We the undersigned parents of Strafford School District VI wish to express our opposition to the modified school calendar as proposed by the school board.  We do not feel this change will be in the best interest of our children for one or more of the following reasons:

·         Published research shows that a modified calendar such as the one proposed by the school board will result in minimal if any improvement in standardized test scores.  Some studies show no improvement or even a decrease in test scores and there are numerous examples of other school districts that have adopted this calendar with disappointing results.

·         Many schools in other parts of the country that tried this calendar have switched back to a traditional calendar for many reasons, some of which are listed in this petition.  We do not wish the children and parents in our district to endure several years of a disruptive experiment without strong evidence that there will be a major improvement in student performance.  That evidence does not exist. 

·         Students on a modified calendar will be handicapped in their ability to attend other life enriching experiences.  These could include church camps, athletic camps, scout camps, lessons in various outdoor activities and others not specifically listed.

·         Strafford High School students would be at a severe disadvantage in seeking summer employment.  Few employers will bother to hire a student for such a short period.  If they are able to find a job at all, they will benefit less from a shorter period of employment.  For those reasons, students will be discouraged from even seeking summer employment.  Summer jobs are extremely important for character development, learning employment skills and a work ethic, valuable later in life.  Some summer jobs even lead to full time future careers and certainly can help a student develop an idea about career choices.

·         We are so fortunate to live in Strafford, surrounded by the beauty of the Ozarks, in a part of the country where strong family values still exist.  The traditional summer break allows us to enjoy and cherish this privilege with family and friends. Summer experiences are extremely important, and we in Strafford enjoy a quality of life that is rapidly disappearing in other parts of the country.  We do not wish to squander this luxury by following their misguided path.  Adopting a modified school calendar that is questionable in its proposed benefits is a step in the wrong direction.

·         Other local schools are not adopting this schedule; therefore, Strafford student and parent schedules will not synchronize with our close neighbors.  There are many community activities and opportunities that revolve around the traditional school calendar that would not be available to Strafford residents if this calendar is adopted.

·         Having a modified calendar may discourage good families with good students from moving to the Strafford school district.  This could have a greater negative effect on test scores than any positive effect created by a modified calendar.

·         A modified calendar may discourage good teachers from joining the Strafford faculty.   Teachers living in a different district but teaching at Strafford could have children on the traditional school calendar.  This would create a difficult conflict in their schedule.  Many teachers prefer the long summer break in order to pursue continuing education, supplement their income with summer employment, teach or counsel at summer camps and otherwise enjoy the summer like the rest of us.  These teachers, and there are many, would not come to Strafford, and the quality of our faculty would suffer.  This would, of course, also negatively impact student test performance.

·         Arranging child care is likely to be more difficult with a modified calendar. 

·         At this point the school board has not provided any cost estimates for such a change.  It seems likely that utility costs will increase significantly.  Increased costs of air conditioning in the hottest months of July and August would exceed any heating cost savings occurring in winter vacation weeks, especially if school is open during those weeks for remedial intersessions as proposed.  It has already been stated that air conditioning busses would be cost prohibitive; therefore, children may suffer long bus rides in extreme heat.  This could even result in days cancelled due to heat advisories.

This list of objections is certainly not all inclusive.  Some of the undersigned have specific and additional objections to the proposed calendar change that affect their families in ways not delineated above.  We appreciate that the Strafford School Board is looking for ways to address problems with test score deficiencies; however, we feel that the modified school calendar is not the answer.